There are many commercial, industrial, and residential applications that involve securing or bundling items together with straps. For example, in the automotive or telecommunication industries, wires or wiring harnesses are often bundled together using straps. Similarly, in the transportation industry, straps are used to bundle goods together or to secure goods to pallets. These straps are typically releasably secured to enable the bundles to be separated later if needed (e.g., for distribution, for repair, etc.).
One type of strap is known as a touch fastening strap. Touch fastening straps typically have an array of touch fastening elements on one portion of a fabric or resin strap and an array of touch fastening element on another portion of the strap. The strap is then looped around the items to be bundled and the two touch fastening arrays are coupled together. Once touch fastened, the arrays may create a releasable closure that has relatively strong resistance to shear forces to keep the items bundled but has relatively low resistance to peel forces to enable a person to easily peel the strap apart to release the bundle.
Touch fastening straps may be formed in a variety of ways. For example, touch fastening straps may be formed by laminating or welding together hooks and loop arrays created using a weaving process. Touch fastening straps may also be created using an in-situ molding process. For example, techniques for forming a hook and loop material for a touch fastening strap is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,015 to Kennedy et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,243 to Fischer, both of which are incorporated here by reference.